What I Don't Love About Christmas (part 1)

This is the first blog in a series to come. Don't worry, there is happy stuff coming.


#1 Rudolph- First of all, it is not so much him I don't like. It is the song that goes along with him. Recently I sat down and did a critical close listening of the song and discovered a few things that are so typical of our culture. Rudolph is a loser with a physical deformity. Until Santa needs to use him the other reindeer won't let him join in any of their games. The only reason they ever let him join the games is because Santa makes him cool by getting him to lead the sleigh. Then his story goes down in history as one of the great undergdog stories of all time. The point I am trying to make is that no one likes the underdog until he, against all odds and with some help from some divine force, does the incredible. The underdog is only cool when he is not a true underdog. There is a current ad campaign that shows this point. The new Dove soap ad has as their slogan, "New Dove Firming, Tested on Real Curves." They also use these "normal" looking women to say that it is cool to be round and hefty. But it is only cool if your body is tight and toned. Take a look at these "everyday women" here (view at own risk, no nudity). If these women had true problems with their bodies they probably wouldn't be doing this. It is easy to love the underdog when they look great. Take the illustration for what it is worth. It is not all-encompassing.

Anyways, thankfully the Bible has something to say about this matter. As it usually does. Listen to what James says:


My brothers,^[a] show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. ²For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, ³and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "You sit here in a good place," while you say to the poor man, "You stand over there," or, "Sit down at my feet," ⁴have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? ⁵Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? ⁶But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? ⁷Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?

⁸If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well. ⁹But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.

If James needed to say this, it probably means that we are prone to doing it, that is, showing partiality. If God played favourites, we would all be damned. I pray that God will give us grace this Christmas to be people of true love and generosity. Merry Christmas All.